Packers to receive Super Bowl rings June 16

Posted on: May 27, 2011 6:15 pm

Edited on: May 27, 2011 6:26 pm

Posted by Ryan Wilson

NFL season or not, the Green Bay Packerswill receive their Super Bowl rings on June 16. Since we're in the middle of a lockout, players can't have contact with coaches or management, and that explains all the informal workouts. But the league is making an exception for the Packers (not even Jerry Jones could manage that), who will convene at the Lambeau Field Atrium for a ceremony not open to the public.

“We’re looking forward to having an evening for the players, coaches and organization to recognize the victory in Super Bowl XLV,” Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy said.

“It was an extraordinary season and the players earned their rings in very exciting fashion. We’re going to celebrate all the hard work that went into the championship. We’re excited for the evening.”

This could make for an interesting night. Summertime Super Bowl celebrations aside, it will be the rare opportunity for coaches to actually talk to players. There had been accusations of improper contact across the league between coaches and players, but an NFL investigation turned up no evidence of wrongdoing.

(Although, let's be honest: Did anyone think that the two sides weren't going to talk? For the most part, they're fighting the same battle. Yes, the money is nice, but coaches don't go into the profession to get rich. They do it because they love coaching. And right now they can't do what they love. They're antsy.)

So while June 16 will make for a nice reunion -- and perhaps an impromptu team meeting -- it sounds like it will only be attended by members of the 2010 team. Which means no chance to chat up those rookies who are most in need of coaching. If that's the case, it further supports what CBSSports.com's Clark Judge wrote last week: As the lockout drags on, the likelihood increases that first-year phenoms won't be a storyline in 2011.